/ INFO-VAX	Thu, 01 Jan 2004	Volume 2004 : Issue 1       Contents:/ Re: A Christmas gift to all haters of Micro$hit  Re: DCL user info , Re: Floating point arithmetic support in DCL, RE: Floating point arithmetic support in DCL, Re: Floating point arithmetic support in DCL' Re: Haven't received 7.3-2 condist yet. # Haven't received 7.3-2 condist yet. ' lib$stop   Rally VAX to Alpha Migration + Re: lib$stop   Rally VAX to Alpha Migration + Re: lib$stop   Rally VAX to Alpha Migration 8 Re: Linux kernel security bug ... VMS kernel rock solid!# Re: Need Help Porting C code to VMS # Re: Need Help Porting C code to VMS   Re: Rally VAX to Alpha Migration  RE: Rally VAX to Alpha Migration SIMH V3.1 released  F ----------------------------------------------------------------------   Date: 1 Jan 2004 03:46:24 GMT ( From: bill@cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon)8 Subject: Re: A Christmas gift to all haters of Micro$hit9 Message-ID: <bt056f$1hbjh$1@ID-135708.news.uni-berlin.de>   ; In article <L6LIb.3839$sM.2598@newssvr22.news.prodigy.com>, A 	Michael Austin <maustin@no-more-spam.firstdbasource.com> writes:  > JF Mezei wrote:  >>  P >> I think it is still too early to celebrate. Microsoft has a lot of rabbits it >> could pull out of its hat.  >>  L >> The day to celebrate is when HP starts to make advertisements that show aG >> lower price for Linux equipped PCs compared to Windows equipped PCs.  > J > I am of the opimion that while Linux is great and can do a lot of stuff 3 > MS can do and it is cheaper and ... and... and...  > G > The fact still remains that Linux is still a geeks desktop.  I would  H > HATE to be on the support line when Billy-Bob that has never owned or K > even used a coputer buys one from Wal-Mart or... or... and calls support  K > with even a minor problem.  He would think you are swearing at him "grep   >   pipe awk sed ls" > E > It is a lot easier than it used to be, but for the masses still is   > lacking...  C And in what way is MS different?  I used to get frequent calls from B my father asking me to come down and make his computer work again.A I still get calls from my daughter and the various places she has D worked always consider her to be the local computer whiz. (Just thisA past week a friend asked her for help installing the software for F a digital camera she got as an early Christmas gift.  After installingD the software the machine, running XP, went into a continuous loop ofC boot-reset-boot-reset. I've never seen a Unix system do that.)  Oh, C but MS offers support, you say.  Now, where did I leave that credit  card???   F The masses can't deal with MS any better than they can deal with Unix.C As long as it works out of the box (and commercial distributions of D Linux do) they are both just as good.  When things go wrong, they itE is debateable which one is worse, but I know which one I would rather F try to fix. Incidently, the solution to the problem I mnentioned aboveA turned out to be a complete reinstall of XP and all applications. D Luckily, my daughter had set her up and got her inthe habit of doingD backups of all data to removable media so no business data was lost.5 Do you think the same would be true of most MS users?    bill   --  J Bill Gunshannon          |  de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n.  Three wolvesD bill@cs.scranton.edu     |  and a sheep voting on what's for dinner. University of Scranton   |A Scranton, Pennsylvania   |         #include <std.disclaimer.h>       ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 13:03:19 -0800 , From: Ken Fairfield <My.Full.Name@intel.com> Subject: Re: DCL user info+ Message-ID: <bsvdin$qmt$1@news01.intel.com>    David J. Dachtera wrote: > Wayne Sewell wrote:    [...much snippage...]   F >>Perhaps he was expecting the contents of the UAF "Owner:" field for -  >>the account the process was running under.  >  > 1 > F$GETUAI() has been suggested to fill this gap.   <      Would that not generate a security hole?  Correct me if< I'm wrong, but calling $GETUAI certainly checks for adequate; privileges before allowing access to SYSUAF and RIGHTSLIST. 8 At the moment, I can't think of an existing lexical that4 requires elevated privileges to return the requested8 information (though a protected logical name table might thwart F$TrnLnm...).  =      While I like the idea of a DCL interface to $GETUAI, I'd : not like to break the pattern that information returned by$ lexicals is unprivileged.  Comments?   	-Ken  --  6 I don't speak for Intel, Intel doesn't speak for me...  
 Ken Fairfield ! D1C Automation VMS System Support " who:   kenneth dot h dot fairfield where: intel dot com   ------------------------------   Date: 31 Dec 03 11:24:26 PST From: mckinneyj@cpva.saic.com 5 Subject: Re: Floating point arithmetic support in DCL ( Message-ID: <GXe9SV4Yi4KM@cpva.saic.com>  3 In article <jyUbuT+3w646@eisner.encompasserve.org>, !  briggs@encompasserve.org writes: { > In article <3FF24171.E9EDF72C@NeOaSrPtAhMlNiOnWk.net>, "David J. Dachtera" <djesys.nospam@NeOaSrPtAhMlNiOnWk.net> writes:  >> Charlie Hammond wrote:  >>> : >>> In article <3FF0F788.7862539F@NeOaSrPtAhMlNiOnWk.net>,F >>> "David J. Dachtera" <djesys.nospam@NeOaSrPtAhMlNiOnWk.net> writes: >>> >Charlie Hammond wrote:  >>> ..O >>> >> Likewise if a5 = 5 and a4 = 4, then if a5 / a4 .eq. 1.25 and not just 1,  >>> >> the same problem exists.  >>> > G >>> >Rather depends on whether A5 and A4 were "declared" (implicitly or % >>> >explicitly) as integer or float.  >>> .. >>>  >>> Exactly the problem. >>> C >>> I "A = 5 / 4" results in an implicit declaration of A as float,  >>> then existing code breaks. >>  K >> 5 and 4 are both integer expressions. An integer result is reasonable to I >> expect. If A had been previously declared as float (by any means), the # >> potential for trouble may exist.  > D > But in DCL, symbols do not have declared data types.  They take onK > the data type of the value that is assigned to them.  If A had previously C > contained the value 3.1E+00 and been of type float then after the B > assignment it should contain the value 1 and be of type integer. > C > i.e. the previous contents of A and data type of A are completely 
 > irrelevant.  >  > 	John Briggs   I agree with John.  ? Consider this - introduce a new assignment mechanism to declare D floating point data types - say, ".=" and ".==". This should protect) older code from failure. So, then we have    $ A  = 5/4	! A=1 $ A := 5/4	! A="5/4" $ A .= 5/4	! A=1.25   E The assignment operator always determines the data type in a way that E is independent of the datatypes and operations that appear on the the & right side of the assignment operator.   --   - Jim    ------------------------------    Date: 31 Dec 2003 13:27:31 -0600- From: Kilgallen@SpamCop.net (Larry Kilgallen) 5 Subject: RE: Floating point arithmetic support in DCL 3 Message-ID: <NtSPefXb28oR@eisner.encompasserve.org>   _ In article <NDEMLKKEBOIFBMJLCECIIEFCCJAA.tom@kednos.com>, "Tom Linden" <tom@kednos.com> writes:   I > Precisely what I have been saying.  Maybe the notion of stronger typing  > needs H > to be looked at.  Since the type of a dcl variable is established upon
 > assignment, J > what are the constraints in the symbol node for the precision and scale? > EvenG > though it is stored internally as BCD, upon presentation it will be a  > picture  type,L > both representations of which should be consistent with languages that use > such types, > to faciltate import/export of such values.  > Since DCL has done without floating point numbers for so long,= it does not seem appropriate to do a rush job on adding them.   : A separate type seems best, and just as numeric and string: types behave today, it can be automatically converted on a5 "best effort" basis when some other type is required.    	$ a = 5 + 4 + "three" 	$ show symbol a/ 	  A = 10   Hex = 0000000A  Octal = 00000000012  	$     ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 16:51:57 -0500 * From: JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@istop.com>5 Subject: Re: Floating point arithmetic support in DCL ) Message-ID: <3FF344F9.F4E0D706@istop.com>    mckinneyj@cpva.saic.com wrote:A > Consider this - introduce a new assignment mechanism to declare F > floating point data types - say, ".=" and ".==". This should protect+ > older code from failure. So, then we have   , Agreed. But it needs to go one step further.  ) If you have a complex expression such as:    A =  (B * C) / D + E  M If either B or C are floats, then (B * C) should be a float, and if either (B M *C) or D are floats, then the (B*C) / D should be a float. Similarly, if that M last one is a float, then the addition of E should be a float. And conversion 0 to integer to assign to A should be done at end.  K Not sure the %= could be used since % is used for hex constant such as %X0A @ The "." is also used for parsing logical expressions (.nes. etc) Perhaps ~=  and ~== ?    ------------------------------    Date: 31 Dec 2003 13:28:23 -0600/ From: bruns@spam.encompasserve.org (Alan Bruns) 0 Subject: Re: Haven't received 7.3-2 condist yet.3 Message-ID: <Uiv3DSp7E3sj@eisner.encompasserve.org>   k In article <3ff31f35$0$1095$7f8943f3@newsreader.visi.com>, Lyndon Bartels <lbartels@pressenter.com> writes: K > I haven't seen the 7.3-2 distros yet. Have people been getting them? I'm   > on condist support.   J The letter in the CONDIST package said that they'd held up delivery of theO CONDIST so they could include 7.3-2.  But it arrived here (late) without the OS N distribution.  So I asked my service rep what was up, and she replied that I'd> get my 7.3-2 distribution with the next CONDIST.  We'll see...   -Alan Bruns    ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 13:10:34 -0600 . From: Lyndon Bartels <lbartels@pressenter.com>, Subject: Haven't received 7.3-2 condist yet.: Message-ID: <3ff31f35$0$1095$7f8943f3@newsreader.visi.com>  I I haven't seen the 7.3-2 distros yet. Have people been getting them? I'm   on condist support.    TIA    Lyndon   ------------------------------  # Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 19:46:12 GMT  From: notValid@yahoo.com0 Subject: lib$stop   Rally VAX to Alpha Migration8 Message-ID: <lm96vv46o7hvttg2hb5oaluk9v62c93kap@4ax.com>  $ Running into neat little road blocks; LIB$STOP just buggered up on running (not compile or link).   = %SYSTEM-F-NOPRIV, insufficient privilege or object protection 	 violation 8 break on unhandled exception preceding MAIN\%LINE 504+24F    504:                    CALL "LIB$STOP" USING BY VALUE STATUS-CODE.    B status-code is pic s9(9) comp. as according to the hp vms to alpha migration manual   WHAT am I missing here folks?   	 Thank you ? email   tutor(nospam)@cfl.rr.com  - removing nospam  naturally.       % On 31 Dec 2003 10:39:04 -0800, wrote:    >Vax to Alpha Migration  >  >Rally VAX to Alpha Migration  > - >Current VAX VMS 7.3 RDB 7.0.7 Rally 7.0.3.2  3 >Future Alpha ES47 VMS 7.3 RDB 7.0.7 Rally 7.0.3.2   > E >We are planning to migrate our Rally appliction 20k block RGA from a D >VAX cluster to a Alpha cluster. I am looking for information on the >migration process.  > 1 >Is there a document that describes the process?   > C >Do you simply move the A-file to the Alpha, verify, compact, merge  >then run the A-file?  > 6 >Any problems spots to look out for on the migration?  > $ >What types of problems may we see?  > + >What type of performace have people seen?   > : >Anybody willing to talk about their migration experence?  >  >thanks 
 >David White   >Phoenix Life Co   >Enfield Ct    ------------------------------    Date: 31 Dec 2003 14:31:59 -0600- From: Kilgallen@SpamCop.net (Larry Kilgallen) 4 Subject: Re: lib$stop   Rally VAX to Alpha Migration3 Message-ID: <y5YjnooXPYHe@eisner.encompasserve.org>   S In article <lm96vv46o7hvttg2hb5oaluk9v62c93kap@4ax.com>, notValid@yahoo.com writes: & > Running into neat little road blocks= > LIB$STOP just buggered up on running (not compile or link).  > ? > %SYSTEM-F-NOPRIV, insufficient privilege or object protection  > violation : > break on unhandled exception preceding MAIN\%LINE 504+24H >    504:                    CALL "LIB$STOP" USING BY VALUE STATUS-CODE.  A That would seem to indicate that STATUS-CODE contains SS$_NOPRIV,  the code value for  @ 	"%SYSTEM-F-NOPRIV, insufficient privilege or object protection"  D > status-code is pic s9(9) comp. as according to the hp vms to alpha > migration manual >  > WHAT am I missing here folks?   G The reason why the previous operation (the one that filled STATUS-CODE)  lacked privilege.   D If reasoning from first principles fails, you could possibly get theF system manager to enable lots of auditing to diagnose the exact cause.   ------------------------------    Date: 31 Dec 2003 15:47:20 -0800& From: chessmaster1010@hotmail.com (JG)4 Subject: Re: lib$stop   Rally VAX to Alpha Migration= Message-ID: <dd3f0cb7.0312311547.53564521@posting.google.com>   F What LIB$STOP does is output an error message and, optionally, a traceA back dup, and then return control the command shell or debugger.  B Since that is exactly what you show happened, then it would appearE that there is nothing wrong with the LIB$STOP call.  You should check D what operation returned the NOPRIV status code that is being used as the LIB$STOP argument.  X notValid@yahoo.com wrote in message news:<lm96vv46o7hvttg2hb5oaluk9v62c93kap@4ax.com>...& > Running into neat little road blocks= > LIB$STOP just buggered up on running (not compile or link).  > ? > %SYSTEM-F-NOPRIV, insufficient privilege or object protection  > violation : > break on unhandled exception preceding MAIN\%LINE 504+24H >    504:                    CALL "LIB$STOP" USING BY VALUE STATUS-CODE. >    ------------------------------  # Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 21:37:01 GMT # From: "John Smith" <a@nonymous.com> A Subject: Re: Linux kernel security bug ... VMS kernel rock solid! J Message-ID: <1kHIb.187643$2We1.23862@news04.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>   Keith Parris wrote: 0 > "Tom Linden" <tom@kednos.com> wrote in message7 > news:<NDEMLKKEBOIFBMJLCECIAEEDCJAA.tom@kednos.com>...  >> Keith Parris wrote:F >> /* IDC Server Quarterly Tracker numbers put OpenVMS server customer/ >> /* revenues at USD $75 Million for Q3CY2003.  >>G >> Keith, I feel like stuck record.  What is included in that?  Does it  >> include (1) HW sales, >> (2) SW license fees, and  >> (3) Support fees ?  > G > I looked this up at the source. According to the 'IDC Server Research D > Taxonomy and Definitions' document, the revenue includes: Frame orF > cabinet and all cables; CPUs; memory; communications boards; and the; > initial internal disks/storage (plus the initial external F > disks/storage for Enterprise systems).  Operating system software isE > included only if it is bundled with the system, and represents only , > the base OS license (no additional users). > A > So it definitely doesn't include Support (Services), or layered G > software products, doesn't include O/S revenue (beyond a base license H > if bundled with the server), doesn't include Storage after the initialC > sale, and doesn't include any networking hardware beyond any NICs  > included in the server.     A Just for fun, what were the comparables for 1Q2001 pre-Alphacide?    ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 12:59:46 -0600 . From: Lyndon Bartels <lbartels@pressenter.com>, Subject: Re: Need Help Porting C code to VMS: Message-ID: <3ff31cac$0$1098$7f8943f3@newsreader.visi.com>   Hoff Hoffman wrote: & >  (Since you're apparently new to C,     H I wouldn't say I'm "new" I've been programming in C for a few years now.   But....   H I have no formal training in it, and once in a while I'll come across a E subtlety that I haven't seen before.  I had formal training in other  F languages, and been using them for the last 20 years. But still a bit E raw in "C". It's like learning a new language. I know what I want to  , say, but I'm sure of the best way to say it.    G >   Do not convert filenames in your code, as it is likely you will get  >   it subtlely wrong --    H I didn't want to do that either. Because too much is "hardcoded." But I F wanted to change as little original code as necessary, just to get it > working. Once things are working, I could go back and rewrite.     >   Why?  Seriously.    H The original code had a filename comparison that was failing. On a unix G box, the variable would be in lowercase, without version number. While  @ on VMS (thank-you debugger people!!!!!) I could see that it was F uppercase with a version number. Later comparison (orignial code, not  mine) would fail.   H Like I said, I wanted to change the original code a little as practical H so I could get the software running. Then I could evaluate the software.   ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 13:09:18 -0600 . From: Lyndon Bartels <lbartels@pressenter.com>, Subject: Re: Need Help Porting C code to VMS: Message-ID: <3ff31ee8$0$1098$7f8943f3@newsreader.visi.com>  @ I replied to Hoff's posting, but I'll restate a few things here.  F I've been self-learning "C" for a few years now, but I have no formal E training in it. I've been programming for the last 20 years. Pascal,   Fortran, COBOL, etc.  F So I know what I want to do, and how I want to do it, but I sometimes H get confused or lost in the translation to the new language. Especially G when I get into more subtle and/or advanced concepts/actions. Like the  8 define statements, .h files, etc. It's a learning curve.  G When you look at somebody else's code, you see what their work evolved  B into, and all the advances they learned (past tense) to get there.  G Compound on top of it, C has different ways to do the similar tasks, I  ; hope you can understand how a person's eyes can glaze over.   G Having said all that.. Can somebody help with some resources I can use  G to look up this stuff. I'm always up for reading manuals first, trying  * second, research third, and asking fourth.     Thanks in advance,   Lyndon   ------------------------------  # Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 19:12:52 GMT / From: brooks@cuebid.zko.dec.nospam (Rob Brooks) ) Subject: Re: Rally VAX to Alpha Migration - Message-ID: <n2FtOJkgYmJg@cuebid.zko.dec.com>   / david.white@phoenixwm.com (David White) writes:  > Vax to Alpha Migration > Rally VAX to Alpha Migration   > . > Current VAX VMS 7.3 RDB 7.0.7 Rally 7.0.3.2 4 > Future Alpha ES47 VMS 7.3 RDB 7.0.7 Rally 7.0.3.2   @ 	It's highly unlikely that the ES47 will be running V7.3; pleaseG be quite careful when posting version numbers to make sure that you're  G giving accurate information.  Alphas based on the EV7 chipset (of which J the ES47 is one) require OpenVMS Alpha V7.3-1 plus one or more patch kits.  F > We are planning to migrate our Rally appliction 20k block RGA from aE > VAX cluster to a Alpha cluster. I am looking for information on the  > migration process. > 2 > Is there a document that describes the process? 8 	Have you contacted Oracle (the owner of Rdb and Rally)?  D > Do you simply move the A-file to the Alpha, verify, compact, merge > then run the A-file? > 7 > Any problems spots to look out for on the migration?  % > What types of problems may we see?  , > What type of performace have people seen? ; > Anybody willing to talk about their migration experence?    8 	Is this, by any chance, the application known (at least; in the '90-'91 timeframe) as NBC (New Business Connection)?    --    M Rob Brooks    VMS Engineering -- I/O Exec Group     brooks!cuebid.zko.dec.com    ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 14:34:58 -0500 ' From: "Main, Kerry" <kerry.main@hp.com> ) Subject: RE: Rally VAX to Alpha Migration R Message-ID: <FD827B33AB0D9C4E92EACEEFEE2BA2FB1E10E6@tayexc19.americas.cpqcorp.net>   > -----Original Message-----9 > From: David White [mailto:david.white@phoenixwm.com]=20 ! > Sent: December 31, 2003 1:39 PM  > To: Info-VAX@Mvb.Saic.Com ' > Subject: Rally VAX to Alpha Migration  >=20 > Vax to Alpha Migration >=20! > Rally VAX to Alpha Migration=20  >=20B > Current VAX VMS 7.3 RDB 7.0.7 Rally 7.0.3.2 Future Alpha ES47=20$ > VMS 7.3 RDB 7.0.7 Rally 7.0.3.2=20 >=20C > We are planning to migrate our Rally application 20k block RGA=20 < > from a VAX cluster to a Alpha cluster. I am looking for=20' > information on the migration process.  >=204 > Is there a document that describes the process?=20 >=20A > Do you simply move the A-file to the Alpha, verify, compact,=20  > merge then run the A-file? >=209 > Any problems spots to look out for on the migration?=20  >=20' > What types of problems may we see?=20  >=20. > What type of performace have people seen?=20 >=20= > Anybody willing to talk about their migration experence?=20  >=20 > thanks
 > David White  > Phoenix Life Co  > Enfield Ct >=20 David,   A few notes for consideration:  E - ES47 requires min OpenVMS V7.3-1 (+ patch kit), but V7.3-2 has been D shipping for a number of weeks now, and would likey be the version I> would recommend as the target OS environment since it has many@ performance and functionality features not in V7.3-1. Reference:+ http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/es47/ 2 http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/shipping732.html  H - While it was not Rally specific, I completed a major VAX Cobol / Rdb /G CI mission critical, high visibility cluster to 3 node Alpha ES45 / SAN H / Rdb cluster earlier this year (went live in mid April). Rdb was latestD version available. This project was extremely successful in that theE Cust went fom 6 large VAX 7610's that were always peaked out in prime B time to an environment whereby their new environment servers (were< running about 20% utilization at peak time. From a pure cost@ perspective, they now have a huge amount of datacenter space andE cooling/power available for future expansion. In addition, while they H are still in the evaluation phase, this has allowed the Customer to lookH at all sorts of new functionality that they could not add before becauseC of loading and version issues e.g. Java based development, wrapping B existing Cobol logic and serving up via Web Services technologies,F Apache web serving, Adv Server (reduce file serving virus issues while2 consolidating Intel servers at the same time) etc.  E - not sure if this is applicable, but there is also a HP corp program D available which would allow you to convert your RALLY application toE Java. If interested in this aspect, contact me offline and I will put + you in touch with the appropriate contacts.    Regards   
 Kerry Main Senior Consultant  HP Services Canada Voice: 613-592-4660  Fax: 613-591-4477  Email: kerryDOTmainAThpDOTcom 0 (remove the DOT's and AT for email address)  =20   ------------------------------  % Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 14:05:47 -0500 1 From: Bob Supnik <bsupnik@nauticusnet.nospam.com>  Subject: SIMH V3.1 released 8 Message-ID: <lf76vv0241g7i1cp4tjmsl848e7089354l@4ax.com>  B SIMH V3.1 has been released.  The sources and pre-compiled Windows: executables can be found at http://simh.trailing-edge.com.   New in this release:? - Simulated Ethernet support on Mac/OS, FreeBSD, and Alpha/VMS. > - H316 moving head disk, fixed head disk, and magtape support.( - PDP-8 TD8E and TSC8-75 (ETOS) support.& - PDP-1 Type 23 parallel drum support.) - Eclipse floating point instruction set. 3 - Instruction history capability in selected CPU's.    Plus numerous bug fixes.  F In response to user requests, there is now a SIMH users' mailing list.B It is intended to provide a 'help line' for SIMH users.  It is notE moderated, but it is monitored by the SIMH developers.  To subscribe, 0 send an email with 'subscribe' as the subject to  % simh-request AT trailing-edge DOT com    (with the usual translations).   /Bob Supnik    ------------------------------   End of INFO-VAX 2004.001 ************************